Rory Reid

Wednesday 3 September 2008, 12:43pm

Isango.com: Holidays down to a manatee

I recently took a break from the helter-skelter world of tech journalism and went on holiday. I flew to America, packed my mum, little sister and our dog into a car, and went on a 1,300-mile road trip to Orlando, Florida. Our mission: to have fun, even if it killed us.

Things were fine in the beginning. We lounged by the pool, rode theme park rides, and ate 'til we could barely move. But there's only so much of that that a person can do. Seeking more, we consulted our tip-hungry concierge, read through a collection of confusing travel booklets in  the lobby, and asked fellow holidaymakers where the fun was at. All of this proved fruitless.

Thankfully, I had my trusty Eee PC, and, while knocking back my third cocktail of the afternoon, I stumbled across a site that would solve our problem. Isango.com, I would learn, specialises in holiday experiences and activities for tourists and locals -- or in layman's terms: tells you some of the most amazing things you can do while you're pretty much anywhere in the world.

I selected Orlando, FL as my location and sat back as the suggestions rolled in. Night-time alligator airboat cruise? Not with my sister -- I don't hate her that much. City Tour of Orlando? Meh. Space shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center? Maybe. Swimming with manatees? Now we're talking.

By the end of our manatee swim, I had had one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. I've driven Ferraris around Silverstone, jumped out of planes from 12,500 feet, and hang-glided over the beaches of Rio de Janiero, but swimming alongside these peaceful, enormous and hugely inquisitive animals was probably the most satisfying of the lot. The fact a mother manatee would trust herself and her baby -- even though said infant is the size of a Ford Focus -- to frolick with us in its own habitat, on its own terms, is humbling to say the least.

I've got to give props to Isango, and sites like it, for opening my eyes to what's possible on a holiday. More importantly, though, I should give 'em props for making it so accessible and hassle-free. I'd much rather deal with a Web site than actual human beings.

When I next have a couple of days spare -- whether that's somewhere exotic, or here in the UK, I'll know where to look for my next big thrill.

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